Open Tech Community Leeds: Putting AI Into Practice

Description: Unlock practical AI potential with a hands-on workshop in Leeds that translates AI capability into real business impact. The AI-Agent-a-thon, presented by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as part of the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival, is a focused, hands-on session designed to help organisations move from AI idea to concrete, working prototypes. What to expect - A practical, hands-on workshop led by TrulySMB (a trusted Microsoft partner) on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm at The Rose Bowl, Leeds, England. - Work in small groups with experienced mentors to design and prototype a Copilot-powered AI agent tailored to a real business use case within your organisation. Examples include streamlining internal processes, or supporting sales, service, or operational teams. - No deep technical background is required. Bring a real business problem, non-sensitive sample data you’re happy to use, and an idea of where the agent should live (e.g., Microsoft Teams or a web app). Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop. - Attendees will leave with a clear next steps plan for implementation and, where possible, a working agent prototype. - The session runs in a Microsoft office-secure environment, aligned with standard Microsoft 365 security, privacy, and compliance controls. Governance best practices will be discussed to help you manage ownership, access, and data governance. Format and audience - A compact, collaborative workshop designed for business leaders, product managers, operations, sales, and customer service teams exploring practical AI adoption. - Participants will collaborate in small groups with mentors to translate a business challenge into an actionable agent design and prototype. - The event is free to attend, but spaces are limited due to the small-group format. No Microsoft Copilot licences are required to attend or participate. Why this is valuable - Learn how to frame realistic AI agent use cases, identify feasible paths to implementation, and understand governance and security considerations when deploying AI agents in a corporate setting. - Get guidance on options for using and scaling AI agents after the event, with no obligation to purchase. - This event is delivered as part of the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival by AD:VENTURE in partnership with Microsoft, TrulySMB, Leeds Beckett University and the WYCA. Practical details - Date and time: Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 09:30–13:00 local time (GMT) - Venue:

Learn vibe coding in a 1-day, in-person Leeds workshop using Replit to design and launch your first app — no prior vibe-coding experience required. Join Greenhouse for a focused, hands-on session that helps you move from curiosity to a working prototype in a single day, with practical guidance from two seasoned AI-focused trainers. This is a friendly, beginners-friendly environment designed to demystify vibe coding and show you how to turn ideas into real, runnable apps. What you’ll get - A clear understanding of the vibe-coding landscape and where it fits in modern AI/no-code workflows - Hands-on practice with vibe-coding tools (primarily Replit) to build end-to-end apps - Tips, tricks and best practices to accelerate your journey beyond the day - Real-world insights from two experienced trainers who regularly run AI workshops and host the AI Show ’n’ Tell series - A supportive, in-person learning environment that encourages questions and collaboration The day at a glance - 09:00 Arrive, grab a coffee & welcome from the trainers - 09:30 Welcome, overview of the day & introduction to vibe-coding - 10:30–12:00 Setup, design & start building - 12:00–13:00 Lunch (on-site) & informal Q&A - 13:00–15:00 Continue building, testing & refining your app - 15:00 Wrap-up and next steps Prerequisites and setup - A Replit account is required, and it’s recommended to create one in advance. We’ll use Replit as the primary tool on the day. - You’ll need a Teams or Core membership on the platform and a linked payment card for any on-the-day setup credits. - You can sign up using a referral link to receive bonus credits. - Bring a laptop (wifi provided on-site) and use a modern browser (Chrome recommended). Who should attend - Beginners with an interest in AI, NoCode, and building software-driven projects - Developers and non-developers curious about vibe coding and rapid app prototyping - Anyone looking to accelerate from concept to a runnable MVP in a single day The trainers - Simon Edwards and Dan Akers bring experience as developers and digital-agency leads who now design and deploy real-world apps with vibe-coding tools. They also run AI-focused events and the Greenhouse AI Show ’n’ Tell series, offering practical, approachable guidance. Location and logistics - In-person event at The Knowledge Exchange (The Rose Bowl), Portland Way, Leeds LS1 3HB - This is a hands-on workshop designed for immediate practice and hands-on building - Refunds are available up to 7 da